In this week’s Friday Focus we caught up with Carol Frederick, Membership and Fundraiser Coordinator, of Friends of Jefferson Patterson Park and Museum to learn all about who they are and what they do. Friends of Jefferson Patterson Park and Museum (Friends of JPPM) believes in educating our community about our local history, heritage and environment. They strive to connect adults and children to our local habitat through fun programs, activities, camps and more at the Jefferson Patterson Park and Museum. JPPM is located in Calvert County and sits on a peninsula with 2.5 miles of beautiful waterfront overlooking the Patuxent River and St. Leonard Creek. Let us explore our historical County and join Friends of JPPM!

Q: Tell us about your organization (who you serve, what you do, etc.)

A: The Friends of Jefferson Patterson Park and Museum (Friends of JPPM) is a membership, non-profit organization that advocates for and provides financial support to Jefferson Patterson Park and Museum (JPPM). We provide financial support through grants, private and corporate sponsorships, fundraising and community outreach. The educational programs and family events we sponsor at JPPM primarily serve Southern Maryland and to a lesser extent, the entire state of Maryland. With a spotlight on children, we provide funding for programs and events that focus on our local environment, archaeology, heritage and history.

Q: What is your favorite “moment” (example of how your organization helped)?

A: It is such a joy to see kids romping around the park while they attend summer camps that expose them to old fashioned joys like being outdoors and exploring the shoreline and the river. They learn all sorts of things such as how to test for water clarity; how to make atlatls, spears and rafts, compare archaeology to paleontology and make baskets.

Q: What is your biggest challenge?

A: The biggest challenge we face regards the belief that the entire park’s financial needs are and should be supported by state taxes. While the state does provide capital funding to maintain the site buildings, there is not enough money to pay for the events and programs that the community has come to love. The Friends of JPPM supports these educational programs.

Q: Are there any upcoming events?

A: The next sponsored event at the JPPM is a 5k run scheduled for Saturday, October 15, 2016. Like our large fundraising concert and dinner that we had on September 10, 2016, proceeds for the run go to renovating the JPPM Education Station, a new state-of-the-art flexible learning space.

Q: How can people get involved with your organization?

A: We encourage anyone to show their support of the work we do for children and our wider community by becoming Friends of JPPM members. We also welcome volunteers, docents and corporate sponsors. See our website FriendsofJPPM.org to learn more or call Carol Frederick at 410-586-8515